


Cleaning Up

by ripitto



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Bathroom Sex, Clothed Sex, Domestic, Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 07:14:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21798754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ripitto/pseuds/ripitto
Summary: House sitting for his in-laws while down with a cold was not the way Kai had hoped to spend his holiday season.
Relationships: Kai Toshiki/Sendou Aichi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Cleaning Up

The bath water drained in the tub. The hot steam stuck to the window, and the heavy moisture in the air made it hard to breathe. Feeling a headache creeping up on him, starting like tension in his spine and stress in his gut, Aichi leaned forward where he sat on the edge of the tub, stretching his back. The towel he reached out for was dry, but cold and a little coarse. It could use a wash too, he thought. He dried his hair, and let the towel lay over his shoulders as he came to a standing. He continued to dry his face, though he felt like the water had already dispersed off his body with the goosebumps that rose in response to the cold. His antiperspirant sat on the sink in plain sight, but when he searched for the moisturizer he couldn't see it. He opened the cabinet, and cast his eyes down on the floor just in case it had fallen, but it was nowhere to be found. He needed just a few drops for his hands. A second look inside the cabinet, and his eyes lingered on the top shelf for an extra second. He was scrutinizing himself, but his internal dialogue was haltered when he saw the bottle just atop the cabinet itself, far from his reach.

The upper floor bathroom didn't have a stool. He gave up without trying. He drew a brush through his hair, once, twice. He collected the towels and stuffed them in the bin. He took his things, other than the moisturizer, and put them back in his travel bag for toiletries. He ought to put it back in the other bathroom, he didn't like having it laying around. It was already past noon. His day had only been so busy, and yet it felt like it had slipped away from him. He sighed, and he put on the bathrobe that'd waited for him, hanging on the door. It wasn't his own, rather his sister's, but he wasn't about to lounge around in it.

The floorboards were cold. The slippers helped, but he needed a change of clothes on his body badly. He wasted no time to get to it, but his old bedroom closet only offered so many options. Old clothes that carried equally old memories. Why hadn't his mother simply cleaned it all out? He knew she was too sentimental for it. At least it served him useful right now, even if his old pajama pants and lint-covered sweatshirt were hardly inspiring. At least they were comfortable and warm, which was most important right now. His phone was ringing before he could dress himself. With his hair still a little wet from bathing he made his way downstairs, but not so fast that his slippers would risk tripping him up. His phone was on the kitchen table. He didn't make it, in the end. The call had been from his mother, and Aichi knew better than to worry. He'd call her back later. He let the phone slide out of his hand and back on to the table top. From the living room, he heard a weak cough.

Covered with a blanket all the way up past his chin, and with one arm laid out with fingertips grazing the floor, Kai laid motionless on the couch. When the sound of Aichi's footsteps approached, he coughed again, dryly, his body tensing under the covers. Aichi sat down by him, and Kai turned to look at him, his eyes peering up just over the edge of his blanket. The tired, sullen look on his face was a far shout from his usual self- or it would be, if Aichi didn't know him so well. "Hello there." Laying his hand to cup his cheek gently, Aichi couldn't help but smile. The look in Kai's eye was strained. "I didn't realize you were awake. Do you feel better at all?"

Kai drew a breath, and it made him wince. What came out was just another dry cough, trailed by yet another, and Aichi could see him fight it. Resting his body back down after the short fit ended, Kai said nothing. "I guess not, huh." He still held his face. "You don't feel like you're burning up anymore, though." He moved his hand to Kai's forehead, and in return Kai watched him stubbornly with his tired eyes. From under his blanket, Kai pressed his hand down against the cushioned seat and pulled himself up, slowly. "No, lie down..." Aichi gently scolded him, but did nothing more. He sighed as Kai came to a sitting, only to hunch over and cough yet again. His body radiated with warmth, and Aichi laid a hand to rub his back.

Kai was restless. Aichi thought that surely he was tired of just laying around and sleeping all day. His feet came down on the floor, but he gave up on standing. Aichi cast an eye on the table, the empty cup and the empty glasses. Kai hadn't really eaten, and before he'd lost his voice he'd complained of little to no appetite. Aichi worried, even if just a little. "Do you need anything?" He asked kindly, but Kai just looked at him, with empty, bleary eyes. "Are you thirsty?" Relaxing, Kai's body fell against his own, and with a sigh, Aichi simply held him. He rubbed his back, and Kai leaned against him heavier. Kai pressed his face down against Aichi's shoulder, and returned the embrace in a firm sort of way that betrayed his feeble body language. As he felt Kai's hand on his thigh, his face against his shoulder, Aichi recalled how he'd failed to dress himself. Without thinking, Aichi pulled at the collar of his bathrobe, readjusting it to cover his skin. Raising his heavy head, Kai stared at him, and for the first time in a long time, Aichi thought that he had no idea what he was thinking.

Grabbing Aichi's shoulders, life seemed to sparkle behind Kai's hazy eyes once more. He drew a breath to speak, but he only triggered another cough, which was followed by another, and another. "There, there..." Aichi rubbed his back, guiding him to lie down again. "Try to sleep. I'll bring you some more tea, alright?"

Kai nodded, the fatigue on his face now studded with frustration. He leaned back, his arm still weakly curved around Aichi's body. Holding his breath tight in his chest, he exhaled, but it only triggered a second fit. Concerned, Aichi rubbed his chest, and before it passed, his phone was ringing again. Aichi did not get up. Not right away. Once Kai rested calmly, he stood from his seat with a sigh and walked towards the kitchen. With a pained expression on his face, Kai's eyes followed him across the room. He sighed shallowly, staring in the direction Aichi had left. Beyond the walls, the ringing stopped. Aichi picked up the phone. Sinking back down to rest flat on his back, Kai listened to the sound of Aichi's voice.

"Hello? ...Yes, mom, I..."

"No, not yet..."

Kai heard the sound of his footsteps, the pacing of his feet, cushioned by the slippers he wore. The sound of the cabinet closing, opening, and the water running told him Aichi indeed intended to make him something to drink. Kai in truth wasn't very thirsty, but he was in pain. Other than his throat and his chest, his back hurt from laying down, and his face was still pounding. Yet, he was doing better than he had the day before. Only his restlessness was worse. It was way worse. What else, he wasn't sure if he'd agree with Aichi. His body still felt like it was burning.

"Well, if dad says so, then..."

"What do you mean?" Aichi was bothered. Troubled, even. Kai pulled the covers back up over his body, closing his eyes. "Alright. ...Yes."

"I've told you... we're both a bit too busy for that..."

"I know."

"Yes. Yes... we'll talk more— yes. Tell Emi I said—"

"No, you can't... he's still sick. He really shouldn't be talking." Kai's view of the ceiling in the Sendou family home was blurry through the slits of his eyes. "He's... a bit better. I think..."

"Yeah, I'll tell him you said hi. I promise. Bye. Bye now. ...I love you too. Bye." The water boiler was hissing. Fog covered the window just under the exhaust of the pipe. Aichi picked out a generously sized teacup, and along with a pot, a glass of water and a sliced persimmon he brought it out to the living room on a tray. Kai was still capitulated on the couch, but followed Aichi's movement across the room with an alertness that betrayed his weary expression. "Mom is... still sad we're not visiting dad with her and Emi." Aichi knew he'd heard their conversation. Half of it, anyhow.

Kai would've been sad about it too, if he could comprehend reality beyond his great discomfort. His coughs had turned dry and his nose had stopped running, his fever was mostly gone; but after many days of illness he was starting to lose his patience. He feared his sanity would follow. "Though considering how you're doing it's probably best that we stayed home." Aichi unloaded the tea cup, the pot, the water and the fruit onto the table. Kai sat up slowly, his body moving in slow motion. Leaning over the table, Aichi stirred the pot with a spoon before carefully pouring it.

"Do you want sugar?" Aichi asked, realizing he'd forgotten to bring any. He folded the long sleeve against his body, taking care to not dip it into the cup as he placed the pot back down on the table. "Kai, would you like some sugar?" He asked, again. Tearing his eyes from Aichi's visible collarbone, Kai stared at him hazily. He shook his head. "Are you sure?" He asked, uncertainly. "You could need it..." Kai shook his head. Aichi sighed. "Alright..."

Dishes were piling up in the sink. Laundry was already overdue. Leaving Kai to drink his tea, Aichi went back upstairs. He had to get dressed. His hair had yet to fully dry, but he couldn't be bothered with that right now. Outside, it was still snowing, and it was piling fast. It was stunning, frankly, and standing in the kitchen clearing the dishes, any glance cast out the window reminded him of that splendid beauty. It also reminded him that he would have to clear all that snow by himself, sooner or later; at least as long as Kai didn't somehow make a miraculous recovery overnight. The dishes from breakfast, from yesterday's dinner and lunch; they wouldn't all fit in the dishwasher. Painful was the reminder that Aichi himself indeed lacked Kai's natural, methodical approach to housework. The workload was greater not only because he was on his own, he just wasn't as good at it, nor as fast. The skin of fingers became ribbed and sore under the steady streams of the tap, and he eventually gave up. At the very least, he thought, he should set aside the dishes Kai had used to soak.

It had been about an hour. It was yet to be late. Kai looked like he might have been asleep, but when Aichi approached, his eyes came open. Kai had indeed eaten the fruit and drunk most of the tea. "Are you finished?" Aichi asked him carefully. Kai nodded. His water glass was still mostly filled. "Please make sure to drink some water too, okay?" Aichi reminded him. Kai did not respond, but rose to a sitting. Aichi loaded the dishes onto the tray, but let the glass be. When Kai stood, wobbling in place, he discarded the task.

"Do... you need anything? I... I can get it for you." Kai shook his head. "Are you sure? I..." Kai had started walking, slowly, and he was steady enough on his legs. Slowly, he headed not towards the kitchen, but the other direction entirely. "Do you... need to go to the bathroom? I could take you." Kai shook his head. "Are you sure?" Aichi's repeated question was already worn, seasoned. He was adamant. Kai nodded, but when Aichi put the tray down with a sigh and came to walk by his side, he stopped. "Come on now, I'll help."

Staring at him, Kai let Aichi take his arm without any further complaints. He walked steadily. Holding on to him, Aichi hoped that he was feeling better. The first floor bathroom was not very far. By the door, Kai laid his gaze on Aichi's face as he reached for the handle. Aichi had been ready to accompany him inside. Surely, he didn't need any help beyond this point. No, that would be silly. "Go on. I'll... wait here." Aichi said. Kai nodded, eventually. Twisting the handle, he stepped inside, though somewhat clumsily. Waiting, Aichi twiddled with the hem of his old sweatshirt. It'd been a few years already, and yet, this feeling would still arise from his gut.

Before returning to the dishes, Aichi tucked Kai back in under the covers on the couch, Kai's peering eyes following his every move. He had a light snack, and drunk some coffee. There was no point in making lunch if it was just for himself. He would just make the kitchen a mess again. Aichi realized he wasn't very hungry. Hopefully he wasn't coming down with a cold himself. He'd been symptom free so far, so he could only hope he was resistant to this years' strain already.

The laundry stacked up in the first floor bathroom needed to be sorted. His own clothes, Kai's clothes, his sister's and his mother's were all in one big mess. Tired, he made what he could out of it. More than a few garments ended up in a separate pile, one he'd have to ask Kai for help with later. He filled the washing machine as much as he felt he could, before leaving to go upstairs. There was more laundry to gather. When he passed Kai in the living room he laid with his eyes closed, resting. On top of the already filled laundry basket, Aichi piled all the used towels, the clothes he'd worn before bathing, and his sister's bathrobe. He'd only borrowed it today, but he rather she didn't know. She'd be mad at him for sure. As he grabbed the handles to lift, he met resistance. Oh, surely it couldn't be that heavy. He managed, somehow, but setting it down just outside the bathroom he realized it would take its toll on him. Sighing, he took a few seconds to reconsider. If only the basket in itself wasn't so heavy, it might not have been a problem.

Turning the corner, he grit his teeth and braced for the stairs. Letting the load down, a sound thump shook the staircase. One step at a time, each sounding louder than the other, Aichi slowly made his way downstairs. Absorbed, concentrated as to not spill the contents all over the stairs and the floor below, Aichi only raised his head as the staircase creaked with the sound of footsteps that were not his own. Before he could say anything, Kai had already tried taking the laundry basket away from him. The drowsy, if not outright cranky look on his face aside, he was clear in his intent to help. "No," Aichi said to him, exasperated, upset. "Go... go back to sleep. I can take care of it on my own..."

His hands steady on the handles, Kai had already turned, lifting it off the ground. He said nothing, barely looking at him, and Aichi felt powerless. Wobbling just a little, Kai regardless made his way down readily. Hurrying along, Aichi held onto his side. "Please just... be careful." Within seconds the bottom of the large basket hit the leveled floor. Breathing a sigh, it turned to a cough, and Kai hid his face in his sleeve. This time, it was just that one, settling with a few raspy breaths.

"I can take it." Aichi said, already knowing Kai wouldn't let him. With a knowing expression, Kai looked him in the eye, before leaning down to yet again start making his way towards the laundry. Aichi stuck to his side. He felt more than a little sheepish. His whole life his mother and sister had cared for him, covering all the chores. Since living with Kai, he had instead shouldered the majority of it. He knew his inability to lift heavy things or reach the top shelf wasn't due to any oversights on his part, but the household coming into disarray under his watch was something else. Adding it all together, he could only feel inadequate. He got the bathroom door open, and let Kai step inside. A perplexed look came onto his face. "Y-yeah, I... there are some I'm not sure about. I was gonna ask you, but..."

Kai didn't pay him any mind. He got to work. He'd seen the whites separated on a pile on the floor. The singular washing machine was quite large, but they'd need to run it twice, at least. Without hesitation, Kai kept loading it with the towels to get it filled. Aichi did what he could to help, taking the whites in the basket aside as Kai double checked the washing instructions on a knit just to be sure before putting it away in Aichi's separate pile. "Oh," Aichi remembered, suddenly. Turning around, he leaned down, bending over to reach into the pile on the carpet. It took him a short few seconds to find what he was looking for. "Here..." He handed Kai a shirt, a button up they both well recognized. "I'm pretty sure this goes in the regular wash but I wanted to ask... I know it's one of your favorites, so I'd hate to ruin it."

With a stare, eyes unfocused on his face, Kai didn't look like he was listening. With a growing confusion, Aichi felt terribly awkward, more so when Kai wouldn't take the shirt from his hands. "Um, would you say it goes with this batch or not?" Aichi asked, again. With a twitch of his lip, Kai seemed to stir from his daze. Without a word he took the shirt, and put it in the washer without really looking at it. _He must be tired,_ Aichi thought. He sighed.

Kai sniffed, his nose dry. He leaned down to pick at the bottom of the basket, and Aichi watched. Stuffing the last of the load that would fit into the washing machine, Kai used his foot to push the basket aside. He pulled at his shirt, and yet another realization passed through Aichi's mind. "Here," he reached out, laying his hands on Kai's sides. "Lift your arms up. We'll wash this and I'll get you something clean to wear, alright?" He had been wearing that shirt for awhile. In a second, Kai complied. Aichi leaned up, standing on his tip-toes, leaning himself forward as he peeled the shirt off Kai's body. Through the fabric his touch grazed the heat of his skin. Kai was still very warm, if not from the lingering fever then from laying tucked in under a blanket all week long. "There." Aichi smiled, carefully. Now topless, and looking a little paler than usual, Kai watched him as Aichi put his shirt into the washer. It would only just fit. "Probably best to run it like this..."

Aichi consulted the panel on the washing machine with a hum. Kai came up from behind him, and where Aichi's hand had hesitantly hovered over the buttons he confidently made an input, adjusting the temperature and the timer. Aichi felt the strands of hair on the back of his head brush Kai's face. He leaned in closer, and though he'd been searching to find the on button, trying to remember how his mother had showed him, Aichi's mind froze has he felt Kai's chest gently press against his back. He'd stopped thinking, stopped searching, but in that moment the washing machine regardless came to life. Kai had taken care of it. He stood up straight, and Aichi was yet to figure out what it all meant. It was all a bit too sudden, a bit too circumstantial, but when he felt Kai's breath against his neck he stopped thinking about that, too.

Kai's hand was still on the panel to his right. On his other side, Kai's hand came down flat on top of the washer. Gentle was the brush of his face against his neck as Kai inhaled through his nose the scent of his newly washed hair. He buried his face in it, and Aichi felt Kai draw yet another deep, shaky breath. When Kai leaned down, his head falling to let his face rest against the skin of his neck, Aichi's body tensed. Kai kissed him, lightly, his lips barely parting. He lingered, unmoving. Aichi had felt his hot breath, his hot body, but his lips were even hotter. He'd only just started, only just barely tickled him with his touch, and Aichi wanted just a bit more. He placed his hand on top of Kai's, squeezing it. As he rolled his neck to the side, Kai followed, kissing him harder. Just under his ear, the delicate spot invited Kai to stay, and as he came to suck on his skin, the sensation made Aichi's body quiver. The washing machine had been humming, water filling it up. Now, the cylinder started rotating, slowly, the sound of the water intensifying with a mechanical whir. Aichi released his held breath and his shoulders rose as he braced against the top of the washer. Hot was Kai's tongue against the back of his ear, and more so his mouth when he continued to kiss him. His face heating up with a blush, Aichi's heart was already beating harder. He clutched Kai's hand tight, wishing he wouldn't stop. Tilting his head, Kai sucked on his earlobe, and Aichi could hear his heavy, surging breath.

Kai laid his hand on his waist, his fingers slipping in under the fabric of his shirt. Aichi was embarrassed by how it made him shiver, it was but a gentle stroke. Rising up on his side, Kai's touch was aimless, and his warm hand made Aichi long for the heat radiating off his bare torso. If only he could feel it; only Kai's lips were pressed against his neck. Aichi knew that Kai would touch him simply because he enjoyed it, simply because he enjoyed the sensation of his skin under his fingertips, and that he would do so without a goal in mind. It could be frustrating. Kai was cultivating that feeling unknowingly, as his hand slid up and down Aichi's side, still kissing his neck hard, making his knees feel weak. Aichi waited for Kai to have his fill, but he wouldn't pull away. They hadn't touched very much in the past week while Kai had been sick. Maybe he just needed a little something; a bit of touching, a bit of kissing. In the meantime, Aichi was becoming awfully imaginative. He was starting to have ideas. Kai's lips retraced to his neck, to the top of his spine, kissing him there, too. The sensation that ran down his back made Aichi gasp weakly. Kai continued to simply kiss him, and pressing his eyes tight together, Aichi found no way to cope. He grabbed Kai's hand that laid on his side, tight. He drew it up to his chest, under his shirt. Kai still wouldn't do quite what he wanted, but once he did rub his nipple with his warm fingertips Aichi's lips parted with a sound, proper moan.

It had been enough to inspire him to continue. Kai breathed a shaky sigh against his back. Aichi's hip bucked but there was nothing for him to feel. He pressed back, but merely grazed Kai's body. When Kai took a step forward, his frame pressing down against him, their hips aligning and the hot skin of his bare torso pressing against Aichi's exposed back, it was not a minute too soon. Moaning again, Aichi moved his hip, and heard Kai grunt quietly against his ear. Kai was hard, and with a sharp thrust he responded, grinding against him. Aichi exhaled, and with his eyes coming shut he joined Kai in movement. They were clumsy, and Kai had failed to continue to kiss him, even as he kept trying to find his way back to his favorite spots on Aichi's neck. His hand on his chest slipped, too, but his touch became rougher as he tried again. Aichi groaned in surprise, unable to hold back.

Grabbing the hem, it was Aichi who pulled down his own pants, letting them down just above the line of his thigh. He would have spoken if he'd needed to, but this time, Kai was quick to understand. A rustle, and that was all, before he could feel Kai's erection against the inside of his thigh. It was so smooth and warm, Aichi sighed with happiness. Kai continued to move against him, his hand grabbing Aichi's hip, holding it in place. Despite the building heat of their surface contact, it was only satisfying for so long. Breathing, Aichi still parted his lips to speak. Lightheaded, his mind was on one thing only. "Put..." A shaky breath left him. "Put it in me." Kai stopped moving, and within an agonizing few seconds, Aichi was back on planet earth, reality. His breath strained, and his voice still lost, Kai was still worse for wear. He wasn't up for this, Aichi thought. He should be resting, recovering. His hands were still bracing against the washing machine, and as it was still whirring gently, Aichi attempted to cast a glance behind him. "Kai?"

When Kai pressed harder against him, all whilst failing to reply, Aichi was lost until he saw Kai reach into his peripheral vision. Aichi had zipped it up and put it away before, but the very same bag of toiletries still stood on the shelf, just above the washing machine. Aichi was fast to realize what this meant. Kai had gotten it down, and rather than waiting, Aichi decided to help, reaching eagerly. The bag fell over, spilling its contents as Aichi had clumsily reached inside it, his hand coming down too hard and fast. A package of band-aids, nail clippers, painkillers, his own favorite lip balm; it was all strewn across the wobbling surface, but Aichi did not care. Already elevated with excitement, he let the bottle of lubricant pass on to Kai's hand. "Here."

He'd outright hesitated to bring it in the first place. Now, he could only be thankful to his past self. The Aichi of the present couldn't be concerned with the risks of his mother and sister accidentally learning that he and his boyfriend did as a matter of fact have a sex life.

Aichi lifted his leg up, his foot on the bottom of the door to the washer. Kai's hand slipped away from under his own, and already well readied, Aichi groaned as he felt those very same fingers slip inside him. Impatient, his hip moved, pressing down, but Kai was yet to indulge him. He pressed his lips against Aichi's neck, kissing him once more. It hadn't been more than a few thrusts before Kai pulled out, and sighing with aroused confusion Aichi's body tensed. Leaning his elbow on the unsteady surface of the washer, Kai pressed their bodies tight together. The lubricant was standing with the other toiletries again, and Aichi was slow to notice. As soon as he did, it floated from his mind as he felt Kai's fingers slip back inside him. Kai fingered him again, harder, kissing his neck again, firmer. It was all wetter, messier and rougher than before. Dizzy, Aichi pressed his lips together tight to try and smother a moan. He failed. Kai's kneading fingers left his legs shivering. He was still dissatisfied. "I'm ready," his quiet, pouring voice sounded just over the sound of the washer. "Kai, I'm... I'm ready." Kai's lips left his neck, and Aichi heard him breathe coarsely. He suppressed a cough. "Are... are you alright?" Aichi asked him breathlessly, still lightheaded with arousal. Kai said nothing. His grip on Aichi's hip tightened. Aichi felt his heart pounding. Alright or not, Kai surely wouldn't want to stop now. Aichi couldn't blame him.

Slick with lubricant was the hand that gripped the underside of Aichi's thigh to help steady his lifted leg. Kai breathed quietly against the back of his head, and Aichi knew he was ready, too. His erection felt even hotter than moments before, as it once more brushed his skin, the inside of his leg and pressed gently against him. When Aichi heard Kai hold his breath to brace, he knew that was the last heads up that he was going to get.

Slowly, yet steadily, Kai rose inside him. The direct touch was a reminder, and even in his hazy mind Aichi made sure to take note. They hadn't had unprotected sex in a long time. It wasn't ideal, but right now, he couldn't find it in himself to care. Kai didn't seem to care, either. Aichi heard him inhale a shallow gasp in unison with a groan from his own lips. Kai lifted his thigh higher, pressing it against the side of the washer, spreading his legs as he started to move.

Aichi braced against the washer, and as Kai pressed against him he steadied himself best he could. Kai's reach was already deep, and they fit heartachingly well together. His thrusts were slow but enforced, and Aichi too couldn't help but move, his hips rolling weakly in return. Rewarded with just a bit more pressure, Aichi moaned. "Yes, there... there's... _good."_ He panted, unable to be silent. Again, he groaned, and Kai did too, quietly with a low rumble in his chest.

Aichi had been concerned with his own inability to care for his mother's house on his own in her absence, upset at how he still seemed to only grasp at straws when he tackled the challenges of adulthood all on his own. Kai had made things so easy for him, all this time. He'd fallen ill after Christmas, post their stay at Aichi's family home to celebrate. They'd all celebrated for sure, but with his mother and sister leaving for the states to visit his father for new years', Aichi thought it fair they stay behind and get the house in order. In preparation for the holidays, Kai had helped with cooking, to his mother's delight. Aichi himself hadn't felt very useful. He'd assumed Kai had thought about it, more so now when he'd been forced to do nothing but lay on the couch and watch Aichi fumble with the remaining chores. That was what Aichi had assumed. He realized he'd been wrong. Kai's thoughts had been elsewhere this whole time.

Having sex usually didn't feel like an option they had while staying at his mother's house. Though Aichi realized it hadn't always been that way. It had been years ago now, but he naturally remembered the touches and kisses shared under the covers of his bed after lights out during his teenage years. It had been a different time. Kai had lived on his own, but in the event they'd stayed at Aichi's house, they'd both still struggled to keep their hands to themselves. It felt like such a long time ago now, but the memories only seemed to come to him clearer as Kai moved, slowly but boldly, his hip rising and sinking, building the friction and molding their bodies together. These sweatpants he wore, hadn't he pulled them down before to let Kai touch him, a long time ago? This shirt, hadn't he worn it to bed, only for it feel like an obstruction between the two of them? Feeling high, words formed thoughtlessly on Aichi's lips. "Yes, _Kai,_ that's—" He leaned forward to steady himself with his forearm. _"Yes."_

His mind cleared, but only because he yearned for more than an aimless indulgence. Aichi was not simply impatient, he was driven. Below him, the centrifuge had started spinning full laps, and he felt like he might loose his footing, his slipper failing to grip the stainless steel surface. Kai noticed before it could happen. His grip on Aichi's thigh was firm, holding him in place even as his foot slipped off the edge of the door. Confident and more so eager, Aichi knew he could take more than this. He knew it, and he craved it. "Could-could you..." He hesitated as his nerves briefly flared up. "Go faster?" He was still shy sometimes, despite it all. Kai was like that too, evidently. When he paused, Aichi felt discouraged, but it was only for a second. Kai complied to his wishes, and he was bold, as he had been, most unusually so.

Crying out in delight, Aichi responded, and it was with a smile on his face that he let Kai bend him over good and proper, pressing firmly down on him as he moved faster. The centrifuge alone was no longer shaking the washer, and though the edge of it was cutting into his body, Aichi hardly cared. He was prepared to be sore, later. It felt too good to stop, far too good to reconsider at this point. It wouldn't take that much more for him to come. He anticipated it eagerly, but hearing Kai groan louder just behind him, that was not the only thing he yearned for, either. With his body shaking and his leg dangling free, the movement made his slipper slide off his foot, bit by bit, until it fell to the floor with the notion of a sound.

The door to the bathroom and laundry was still half open. It was not worth reconsidering, not until now. From where he'd left it on the table in the living room, Aichi heard his phone ringing. Kai heard it too, in just a second. He stopped moving. Groaning weakly, and not in pleasure, Aichi still laid with his body flat against the rumbling washing machine. "What... does she want now...?" In a rare display in disdain for others, and for his mother of all people, Aichi complained. He had been feeling so good, after having felt so bad, all day. He tried to swallow his frustration, but he failed.

Kai struggled to breathe. He coughed. Aichi closed his eyes, trying to attain his usual patience. Surely, they didn't have to stop just because of his mother calling. A mood killer he did not want it to be. He did not move, and neither did Kai, his strained breathing still audible against Aichi's ear with Kai's body still layered heavily on top of his own.

After a minute of pressed stillness, the ringing stopped. Aichi's phone finally went quiet. "Let's... keep going." Aichi's voice was still colored by a breathy arousal. Kai was still deep inside him. "If... if you feel like you can." Against his back, Kai nodded. He started again, easing into it. "Move like you did just now..." Aichi encouraged him. "It... it felt so good."

With a low, troubled groan, Kai pressed against him, once more rocking his body. Aichi tried moving, too, but just couldn't seem to draw the strength he needed. Kai had pinned him in place, and he was ecstatic about it. With his hasty, steady movement, Kai rubbed their bodies together, the heat of his bare chest transmitting to Aichi's back as his shirt rode up to his neck. Aichi didn't care about the sound of the washer, or the toiletries that slipped off and fell to the floor; he was too absorbed. He knew, that when Kai made love to him, he would forget where he was, or what he had been doing. He would forget about everything else. For better or worse, perhaps, but currently there was no harm in it. There was no harm in raising his voice when he cried out in pleasure, no harm in pleading for more.

Kai could be shy, he could be self-conscious. He was fundamentally reserved. Aichi was used to initiating, he was used to taking the lead. Though he never doubted Kai's feelings for him, often times he wanted nothing more than for Kai to come to him, be the one who kissed him first and made his desires known on his own accord. It did happen, though rarely. Each time, it made Aichi all the happier for it. It was that joy that fueled his excitement. Kai breathed heavier, harder, matching his movement. He coughed weakly against the fabric of Aichi's shirt, but he did not stop. He moved faster. Aichi's lips parted, and a weak, strangled moan came out without volition. His eyes closed shut, tight, but he still saw stars. His legs shivering, and his sides hurt; Kai lost his grip, his hand slipping off Aichi's hip and with a loud bang his palm came down fast and hard, bracing against the washer. He'd almost slipped but he refused to stop moving. This would be it now. Aichi could feel it. The only question was which one of them it would be to cave first.

Kai's lips were once more against his ear. Aichi listened, he listened to Kai's coarse, heavy breathing, lost in it. Kai groaned deeply, the sound casting a rumble through both their bodies. With a weak cough his voice crackled to life. "Aichi," his needy voice bled with his desire, still rough with his sore throat. Aichi felt his entire body tense. Kai didn't slow down. "Aichi. Aichi." Louder, clearer, his voice rang out. _"Aichi."_

Tighter he gripped Aichi's thigh, as he continued to bring them together hard and fast. It had been days since he'd last heard his voice, but Aichi could only muster a whine at the sound of Kai calling his name. Lightheaded, he still knew what it meant. The way Kai's body tensed was familiar, too, along with how he gasped and shuddered strongly against him before he came to a sudden stop. Kai was still panting, and Aichi could feel the pained heaving of his rib cage against his back. Kai steadied himself on his feet, but no more. "Did..." Aichi found his voice, also out of breath. "Did you come?" He asked sweetly, curiously. Kai nodded against his back with a silent hum of a sigh in the back of his throat. Aichi couldn't stop smiling. "You... you did, huh?" A quiet laugh, a giggle, trailed his sentence.

He felt incredibly clumsy, and Kai wouldn't move, at least not much. Instead, Kai leaned up to reach the top shelf sitting on the wall, lined with unused paper rolls. He ripped one open, folding a few squares over. Aichi cast a glance over his shoulder. Kai pulled out slowly, carefully, and Aichi couldn't help but tense. Breathing a sigh, his foot came back down on the carpet, but he felt woozy and as soon as Kai had crumpled the used tissue in his hand, Aichi again felt his lips against his neck. It was a gentle kiss, gentle and sweet. Aichi pulled his sweatpants back up, and turning around he put his arms over Kai's shoulders and went in for a kiss on the lips. Kai recoiled, and Aichi sighed. "Come on... please?"

Kai looked at him, his expression worn but his face flushed and his eyes mild and moist. He did not reply, nor did he do anything except lean in to hold him tight and kiss his neck. Aichi accepted. He could understand. Kai pressed him against the washer all over again, and Aichi couldn't help but grind against him. Kai lost some of his height, and before Aichi could react, Kai's arms were hooked under his thighs. It was a short ascent. Aichi sat on the washer, and Kai lifted his shirt to kiss him, his stomach, his chest.

Aichi ran his hands through his hair, and though he'd only just put them back on, he let Kai grab the hems of his pants and slide them down. Aichi propped his leg up, and with no further communication between them, Kai slipped his fingers inside him once more. Longingly, Aichi sighed. When Kai went down on him, without much of any warning, he cried out weakly. Aichi felt weak, the tingle returning and amplifying in his gut, running down his legs. The roof of Kai's mouth rubbed him firmly with the movements of his head, and Aichi heard him hum as he pressed his lips tighter together. Aichi ran his fingers through his hair, his hand settling to support his neck. Kai pressed against him, and with a sound sigh Aichi leaned his head back until it tipped against the wall. Kai's warm fingers pressing into him made his legs tense and his hip rise in a gentle rolling motion. Kai responded to it, following his movement and giving him more in return.

Aichi continued to move, unable to resist, though he couldn't muster more than short, weak thrusts. Kai read him, and was obligant in rewarding his building impatience. He reached deeper, deeper than before and Aichi could once more feel his focus shattering as Kai brought him closer to the edge. He grabbed onto Kai's shoulder tight, and his lips parted with a breathy groan. Desperate where his movements, the back of his head rubbing against the the wall.

The washer was shaking again, and the turbine still turning, the sound becoming louder and louder. It wasn't enough to drown out Aichi's voice as he came to moan with every breath that left him. His body tensing, Aichi locked his thigh behind Kai's neck. It was but a reflex, if a clumsy one, he could not resist as Kai touched him harder. "I'm coming, _I'm coming,"_ his voice was a breathy whisper, and his words also a reflex, though they died as he couldn't stop himself from crying out in pleasure. "Kai, I'm-" With a final gasp, he came to a rest. His chest still rising and falling with the sound of his breathing, Aichi's body relaxed in a slump against the wall. He pulled himself up, struggling to sit, and in that short following moment his mind was still blank.

Kai had pulled away, only if barely. Looking at him as he raised his face, Aichi still couldn't help but smile. The roll of paper was still sitting next to him. Aichi folded two squares over in his hand, and as he took care to wipe Kai's lips and cheek, Kai blushed something furiously. Kai pulled himself up to stand straight on his feet, making Aichi realize how uncomfortable he must have been. He minded to try and help Aichi back into his pants, but exploded into a series of coughs as soon as he finished. Less dry, and Aichi hoped less painful, they still left him incapacitated for a lingering moment. Aichi held him, gently stroking his back until the fit ended. He was still so warm, and the touch of his bare skin was comforting. 

Revealing his face from where he'd hidden it in his arm, Kai looked more than a little sullen, and no less embarrassed. "Are you okay?" Aichi rubbed his back. Kai nodded shortly in response, and Aichi leaned down to kiss his forehead, holding him tight. "It was really good." Aichi said, while still holding him. He was a little flustered, too. "So... thank you." Kai said nothing, but leaned against him, letting his body weight press them closer. Aichi kissed him again, in the same place, and Kai breathed a deep, shaky sigh. It would be another minute before Aichi pulled away. "Come on... you need to go back to bed." He rubbed Kai's bare shoulder. "...And we should put a shirt on you, too."

Taking a step back, Kai's gaze dropped to the floor. Before Aichi could wonder, he'd localized the slipper that'd fallen off Aichi's foot moments earlier. Kai leaned down, a strangely focused look on his face as he fished it up and put it back on Aichi's foot. With one hand on Aichi's back and his other in under his legs, Kai helped him slide off the washer to a standing on the floor. Still holding on to him although he no longer needed the support, Aichi smiled at him. "Thank you." He said proper, and as a reflex he thought to lean up and kiss him. Kai firmly placed a single finger on his lips. Aichi said nothing, but complied with a lovesick sigh.

After he'd been led through to the living room, Kai let Aichi lay him down in bed and tuck him in under the covers. He thought to stand up and grab Kai a new shirt from his bag upstairs, but Kai grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer. "What?" Aichi asked, still a little giddy. Kai stared at him with unfocused eyes. "...Do you want me to lay down with you?" Kai nodded, if barely. "Alright, alright..."

Aichi slid in under the covers. Kai knew he couldn't say no, and for once he was taking advantage of that. As for Aichi, he wanted to cuddle more, too. It was only fair. How were they supposed to have sex and then not cuddle? The dishes were still in need of attention, and within another hour one load of laundry would need to be dried and another prepared to be washed. Aichi had only just forgotten, and the comforting warmth of Kai's body and his arms wrapped around him made him all the more unlikely to remember.

When his phone was ringing, again, he had dozed off. Kai woke up before him, and as with his usual drowsiness, Aichi didn't wake until he felt Kai move under him. The sight of him with his hair tousled and his eyes strained and glossy with sleep was the first thing Aichi saw as he woke up. It still took him several seconds to understand that the signals ringing out meant that he should pick up the phone. Moving slowly, Aichi pulled himself up and reached towards the table. "...Hello?" He sounded half-asleep. He looked it, too. Kai pulled the blanket back down over himself. He was cold without it and more so without Aichi sleeping on his chest. "Yes, I was... just for a bit. Don't worry about it." Aichi reassured his mother with limited success.

"No, I don't... think so." Aichi's voice cracked a bit. He yawned. "I think... I'd be sick already if that was the case..." Aichi cast a weak glance behind him. Kai was still without his shirt. "He's... doing a bit better." Aichi patted Kai's chest lightly. He smiled and unusually enough, Kai was unnerved by it. "He was up and about just now." Closing his eyes with an inaudible sigh, Kai felt how tired he was. He was suffering the consequences of his actions. "I'll tell him you said hi, yes." Aichi returned his focus to the phone call. He stood up. "What else did you... want to talk about?"

Kai watched once more as Aichi left ther room, going into the kitchen. He felt like he would fall asleep again right away, though he missed Aichi's presence. It had been a long time since he'd been ill. He'd struggled with how dependent it had made him feel. He'd rather not be left alone for too long. The boredom of it all had also been eating away at him. He felt better for sure, though he feared his actions might have prolonged his recovery. Despite this, he had no regrets.

Aichi eventually came back down the stairs. Kai had dozed off, but roused at the sound of his voice. Once back in the living room, he was saying goodbye. "Yes, mom. That's quite alright. Yes. Goodbye, then. Bye now. Bye." He hung up the phone, and steadied himself with a sigh as he laid it back down on the table. "Here you are." He handed Kai a shirt, as promised. Slowly, Kai sat up to put it on. "Mom says hi... again. She wanted to get us something so she had to ask..." Aichi told him as he pulled the shirt down over his head. Reaching out, Aichi helped him straighten it on his body. "They were apparently in this lovely gift shop today. And she wanted to know if you'd care for one of those strange American cook books..."

Kai suppressed a laugh at the best interest of his throat. It still turned into a cough. Aichi rubbed his back. "I wouldn't know, I said. Except that you'd naturally read it, for sure." Aichi's hand slid off his body and into his lap. Kai could tell he had something else on his mind, though he'd averted his eyes. "You know, if, um..." He stammered lightly. "If there's anything you need, you can... just ask, alright? I'll... take care of it."

"I get that it's hard for you to ask when you're... like this, but," Aichi would indeed still get embarrassed, sometimes. "What I mean is just, I don't want you to tire yourself out, unnecessarily. So, next time... I mean, I could, just..." His voice had faded and died, and though he drew another breath to speak, Kai ignored the cue. He brushed Aichi's hair out of his face, and leaned down to kiss his forehead. Glancing up, he looked just a little bit frustrated. Perhaps, he was thinking how awfully convenient it was for Kai to be unable to speak at a time like this. It made Kai smile, and he leaned down to kiss him again, in the same spot. "Are you listening?" Aichi asked him, his voice underlined with uncertainty. It was about the only thing he could do that would force Kai to respond in some way.

Kai nodded, though shortly. His eyes were yet again unfocused and moist. "Good." Aichi leaned against him. He poked a finger into Kai's chest. "It was good, and I'm glad we did it, but..." His voice was muffled against Kai's shirt. "Next time, let's not do it in the bathroom, okay?" Kai's body laid back down to rest. With his lips pressed together and his eyes shut, he looked quite pressed. Aichi watched him, gently taking his hand, admiring his face. To him, it was an endearing expression, though it amplified his own feelings of awkwardness.

His chores called. Aichi still sat with him, thinking that was perhaps what he needed most. As Kai relaxed, looking like his restlessness had finally been cured, another thing surfaced in Aichi's mind. "And... could you please put the hand cream back in the cabinet when you're done with it? You know I can't reach the top of the shelf." Kai smiled. He rolled over. Aichi's hand laid on his back, and he had no way to be upset. He sighed. "Rest now. You need to get better so you can help me clear all that snow." A moment of silence. "And, if... if you need it, then... my last offer... stands."

Laying under the covers, Kai watched Aichi overcome his embarrassment. He turned to look at him, and the kindness and affection in his eyes was joined by a curious spark. Aichi stroke his back, and he smiled in a different sort of way; the way he'd smile only for him, only when they were making love. "Alright?" Feeling faint and more so flustered, Kai nodded shortly. He'd remember that offer, for sure. Struggle to forget it, for sure. He needed to rest, and his body ached, but after that, he would surely be making use of it.

**Author's Note:**

> this holiday season please consider donating to wikipedia


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